Tag Archives: battleship

Alexander Skarsgård May Holla ‘Tarzan’

In the last couple years, Alexander Skarsgård has taken on roles ranging from controversial Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier’s Melancholia to Peter Berg’s Battleship , but now it looks like the 6′ 4″ heartthrob may be heading to the dense foliage of the tropics. The Swedish-born actor has risen to the top of the contender list to star in David Yates’ Tarzan for Warner Bros., Variety said . The film still is awaiting the official go-ahead from studio brass, but a late summer shoot is expected. Come summer, Skarsgård may don the character of John Clayton III, aka. Tarzan. The story follows the “re-assimilated” Clayton who is asked by H.M. Queen Victoria to team with mercenary George Washington Williams to save the Congo from a warlord who controls a rich diamond mine. Samuel L. Jackson is a possibility to play Williams who is a Civil War vet who wants to repair his name following his involvement in a massacre of Native Americans. Yates officially committed to the project last week, which, given all the colonial subtext, risks running afoul a sensitivity issue or two. Yates directed the last four installments of the Harry Potter franchise. Toronto premieres Disconnect and What Maisie Knew will be Skarsgård’s next starrers. [ Source: Variety ]

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Alexander Skarsgård May Holla ‘Tarzan’

Dark Knight Rises Wins Golden Trailers and The Devil Wears Prada Returns: Biz Break

Also in Friday morning’s briefs round up, Edinburgh and NY Asian Film Festival set their lineups with Disney’s Brave headed to Scotland, Kick-Ass alum bid for a return to the sequel, while Universal torpedoes a rival Battleship . 11th New York Asian Film Festival Sets Slate Fifty feature films and three programs of shorts including 20 North American and one U.S. premiere are on tap for the event hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema June 29th – July 15th in New York. The North American debut of Vulgaria about a “hapless movie producer trying to get his skin flick off the ground, who will do anything to finance it, including auctioning off visitation rights to the daughter he adores and sucking up to gangsters” will open the event. Around the ‘net… Dark Knight Rises and Hunger Games Win Golden Trailer Awards The Dark Knight Rises won “Best in Show” at the 13th Golden Trailer Awards. The movie also snagged the Best Summer Trailer for 2012, while Snow White and the Huntsman took the award for Best Action trailer, Deadline reports .http://pmcmovieline.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=157463&action=edit&message=1 Disney’s Brave Set for Edinburgh Film Festival The latest Disney animation is set in a mythical Sottish Highlands. The 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival will feature 121 new films from 52 countries, including 19 world premieres. Other highlights incude 7 Days in Havana with Benicio Del Toro and thriller Killer Joe from Exorcist director William Friedkin, which will open the event running June 20th – July 1st in the Scottish capital, BBC reports . Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz Close in on Kick-Ass 2 Original cast members Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz are close to making deals to return for the sequel. The 2010 original cost $28 million to produce and grossed $103 million. Nicolas Cage is also up for a cameo, Deadline reports . The Devil Wears Prada Sequel for 2013 Author Lauren Weisberger’s sequel to the 2003 best seller will be titled, Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns . The book continues the story of former magazine assistant Andy Sachs, which starred Anne Hathaway in the film version. Andy’s catty counterpart, Emily, also makes a return, BBC reports . Universal Action Sinks Battleship Rival American Battleship Universal tossed out a lawsuit over an unauthorized spin-of of its blockbuster Battleship. The Asylum, producer of a low-budget American Battleship , has agreed to change the name of their version to American Warships and change its marketing and packaging in exchange for Universal dropping the lawsuit, THR reports .

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Dark Knight Rises Wins Golden Trailers and The Devil Wears Prada Returns: Biz Break

How Battleship Bust Dodged the John Carter Treatment

“Even though the media exhibit enormous sophistication and historical perspective in a thousand different ways — not that I can think of a specific example right now — they are far too often bedazzled by the sheer novelty of a story. If you watch cable news, for example, you know all too well that if there are two child kidnappings in the same month, the first one gets far more attention than the second. This same law applies to box-office bombs. With Battleship , the fascination with Hollywood flop sweat had already worn off. When I asked a veteran showbiz reporter why his publication had spent so little time covering the demise of Battleship , he joked: ‘I guess we all had the same reaction — didn’t we just write that story already?'” [LAT]

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How Battleship Bust Dodged the John Carter Treatment

Men in Black 3 Dethrones Avengers; Chernobyl Diaries Melts Down

The Memorial Day frame wasn’t one quite worth remembering for Will Smith, who walked away with the holiday’s biggest opening almost by default as The Avengers waned — not a lot, but enough — in its fourth weekend. Meanwhile, the week’s other wide release suffered a catastrophic B.O. meltdown en route to sixth place overall. Your special holiday-edition Weekend Receipts are here. [All figures reflect four-day totals.] 1. Men in Black 3 Gross: $70,000,000 (new) Screens: 4,248 (PSA: $16,478) Weeks: 1 Will Smith ‘s first summer entry in four years didn’t exactly blow the roofs off America’s multiplexes — the third installment of the sci-fi/comedy mashups had a $55,000,000 three-day total that basically matched those of its franchise predecessors from 1997 and 2002. But that’s what foreign box-office is for: $133 million and counting, giving Sony a $200 million global total that it should be able to build on in the weeks ahead opposite the modest-looking Snow White and the Huntsman and the R-rated Prometheus . 2. The Avengers Gross: $46,878,000 ($523,563,000) Screens: 3,918 (PSA $11,965) Weeks: 4 (Change: -15.8%) In four weeks, Marvel’s blockbuster has settled into the fourth spots on both the all-time domestic and foreign gross lists. It’ll take the third spots from The Dark Knight and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (respectively) in the next 24 hours. The Avengers , ladies and gentlemen! There are no words. 3. Battleship Gross: $13,769,000 ($47,274,000) Screens: 3,702 (PSA: $3,719) Weeks: 2 (Change: -46.1%) Don’t let the 46 percent decline fool you; the three-day total reflected a 57 percent plunge from its pillow-soft Stateside debut. Again, though, its foreign ardor persists — not quite enough to make the whole thing worth Universal or Hasbro’s while, but hey. At least there’s always G.I. Joe 2 ! Oh, wait . 4. The Dictator Gross: $11,755,000 ($43,603,000) Screens: 3,014 (PSA $3,900) Weeks: 2 (Change: -32.6%) I dunno, maybe this wasn’t the best weekend to be joking around about Middle Eastern despots at the movies? 5. Dark Shadows Gross: $9,405,000 ($64,888,000) Screens: 3,404 (PSA $2,763) Weeks: 3 (Change: -25.3%) Someone had to finish fifth. 6. Chernobyl Diaries Gross: $9,300,000 ($9,300,000) Screens: 2,433 (PSA $3,822) Weeks: 1 David Poland said it best : ” Oren Peli just isn’t a brand. Sorry.” Aren’t we all. [Figures via Box Office Mojo ] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Men in Black 3 Dethrones Avengers; Chernobyl Diaries Melts Down

Battleship’s Boy Bust, Fokkens to US, ‘The Real Fassbinder’: Biz Break

Also in this afternoon’s Biz Break: The breakout director of Animal Kingdom plots his next (possibly with the help of Robert Pattinson), Rupert Everett to direct himself as Oscar Wilde (with the help of a few friends of his own), and more… Kino Lorber Wants You to Meet the Fokkens The specialty distributor has announced a deal to bring Gabrielle Provaas & Rob Schröder’s documentary Meet the Fokkens to the US; the film tells the story of 69-year-old twin sisters experiences as prostitutes and brothel owners in Amsterdam’s red-light district. The doc will enjoy its Stateside premiere next month at the SilverDocs Film Festival before debuting Aug. 8 in New York. Michôd, FilmNation Take Aim at The Rover FilmNation continued its Cannes newsmaking streak , announcing the acquisition of Animal Kingdom filmmaker David Michôd ‘s follow-up The Rover . The story follows two men through “a dangerous and dysfunctional near future. Eric has left everything and every semblance of human kindness behind him. When his last possession, his car, is stolen by a gang of dangerous criminals, Eric sets off to track them down and is forced along the way to enlist the help of Reynolds, the naïve simpleton member of the gang left behind in the bloody chaos of the gang’s most recent escape.” Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are said to be in talks for the roles of Eric and Reynolds, respectively. XLrator Floors It With Action Series XLrator Media has announced the multi-platform TURBO by XLrator label, which will bring an international slate of action films to North American audiences. The first three movies set for release this year will be Naked Soldier (from Hong Kong), Blood Money (filmed in Sydney, Hong Kong and Miami) and Brawler (shot in New Orleans). Former Weinstein Co. exec Mike Radiloff has joined as president of marketing and distribution. Around the ‘net… What Went Wrong With Battleship ? A power shortage in the cast… An underrecognized source property… A failure to reach young men… The Battleship box-office post mortem is officially underway as experts determine what sunk Universal’s costly would-be blockbuster in the US. THR reports . German Director Promises “the Real Fassbinder” Marco Kreuzpaintner is set to revive his influential, short-lived filmmaking compatriot Rainer Werner Fassbinder to life in his next project, Rainer . “It will be a homage to his movies,” Kreuzpaintner said of the projct, which he described as less a straightforward biopic than a melodrama. “But we want to show the real Fassbinder, will all the dirt, drugs and excess.” THR reports . Rupert Everett Gets Wilde with The Happy Prince The actor and Oscar Wilde devotee will make his writing-directing debut with a tragicomic chronicle of the writer’s final days. Colin Firth, Emily Watson an Tom Wilkinson are attached to co-star; Variety reports .

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Battleship’s Boy Bust, Fokkens to US, ‘The Real Fassbinder’: Biz Break

Battleship Director Peter Berg to Israeli Interviewer: ‘Are You a Draft Dodger?’

Now here’s the way to make your run of the mill Battleship junket interview way more interesting: Turn the tables on your talking-head interviewer by grilling him on Israel’s nuclear policy and why he didn’t serve his compulsory service in the military. Which is what Peter Berg did to one unsuspecting journalist for Israel’s Channel 10. While sitting for an on-camera chat about his summer blockbuster, Berg went off on TV interviewer Jason Danino-Holt about issues that, he admits, are much more important than his movie about aliens adapted from a board game. Instead of talking up his pop starlet cast member or his excitement for the film (okay, he managed to squeeze that in, too — what a pro!), Berg launched into Israeli arms policy as Danino-Holt sat, seemingly befuddled. By the time Berg asks, “Are you a draft dodger?” and shouts, “You’ve gotta join the army, motherfucker!” this has automatically become the stuff of legend. Berg’s big shiny summer blockbuster has a heavy military element — it’s very much pro-servicemen and women, and big on international cooperation between nations that, granted, can unite against a common extraterrestrial enemy without dealing with the tricky human realities of real world politics. Does Battleship give Berg the moral ground to badger a perfect stranger for not joining the army? Well, no. Is this 100 times more interesting than hearing him talk about ships and aliens and Rihanna? Hell yes. Make your weekend movie plans accordingly. [ Pajiba via Complex ]

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Battleship Director Peter Berg to Israeli Interviewer: ‘Are You a Draft Dodger?’

Battleship Director Peter Berg to Israeli Interviewer: ‘Are You a Draft Dodger?’

Now here’s the way to make your run of the mill Battleship junket interview way more interesting: Turn the tables on your talking-head interviewer by grilling him on Israel’s nuclear policy and why he didn’t serve his compulsory service in the military. Which is what Peter Berg did to one unsuspecting journalist for Israel’s Channel 10. While sitting for an on-camera chat about his summer blockbuster, Berg went off on TV interviewer Jason Danino-Holt about issues that, he admits, are much more important than his movie about aliens adapted from a board game. Instead of talking up his pop starlet cast member or his excitement for the film (okay, he managed to squeeze that in, too — what a pro!), Berg launched into Israeli arms policy as Danino-Holt sat, seemingly befuddled. By the time Berg asks, “Are you a draft dodger?” and shouts, “You’ve gotta join the army, motherfucker!” this has automatically become the stuff of legend. Berg’s big shiny summer blockbuster has a heavy military element — it’s very much pro-servicemen and women, and big on international cooperation between nations that, granted, can unite against a common extraterrestrial enemy without dealing with the tricky human realities of real world politics. Does Battleship give Berg the moral ground to badger a perfect stranger for not joining the army? Well, no. Is this 100 times more interesting than hearing him talk about ships and aliens and Rihanna? Hell yes. Make your weekend movie plans accordingly. [ Pajiba via Complex ]

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Battleship Director Peter Berg to Israeli Interviewer: ‘Are You a Draft Dodger?’

Paul Hogan Settles Tax Snafu; Comeback Next?

Get excited: “After eight years, the Australian actor Paul Hogan, best known for his Crocodile Dundee movies, has resolved his dispute with the authorities there, who said he and his former manager, John Cornell, owed $156 million in unpaid taxes and penalties dating to the 1980s heyday of the film series. As the settlement was announced Mr. Hogan’s lawyer, Andrew Robinson, criticized the tax inquiry as a waste of taxpayers’ money, saying it may have cost more than $20 million. He also suggested that Mr. Hogan, who has largely been inactive in recent years, might soon be back with a new project. ‘Who knows, now that this monkey is off his back?’ Mr. Robinson said.” [ NYT ]

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Paul Hogan Settles Tax Snafu; Comeback Next?

Tom Cruise-Starring Van Helsing to Lead Wave of Universal Reboots

Universal’s going back to the well, this time bringing Star Trek / Transformers / Cowboys & Aliens writers Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci along to re-envision two horror properties of the not-so-distant past: “Kurtzman and Orci’s K/O Paper Products will develop and produce a modern reimagining of Universal library titles including The Mummy , alongside producer Sean Daniel and writer Jon Spaihts. The pair will also develop and produce Universal’s reimagined Van Helsing , with Tom Cruise attached to star in and produce the film.” Oh, I’m sure it’ll all work out just fine. Right, Ron ? [ Deadline ]

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Tom Cruise-Starring Van Helsing to Lead Wave of Universal Reboots

Tom Cruise-Starring Van Helsing to Lead Wave of Universal Reboots

Universal’s going back to the well, this time bringing Star Trek / Transformers / Cowboys & Aliens writers Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci along to re-envision two horror properties of the not-so-distant past: “Kurtzman and Orci’s K/O Paper Products will develop and produce a modern reimagining of Universal library titles including The Mummy , alongside producer Sean Daniel and writer Jon Spaihts. The pair will also develop and produce Universal’s reimagined Van Helsing , with Tom Cruise attached to star in and produce the film.” Oh, I’m sure it’ll all work out just fine. Right, Ron ? [ Deadline ]

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Tom Cruise-Starring Van Helsing to Lead Wave of Universal Reboots